


Volleyball is 50% mental

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: post aoba johsai / karasuno match
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 01:56:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7555621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's sometimes hard to be a volleyball player.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Volleyball is 50% mental

It’s been an entire year since the defeat against Karasuno. 

It’s not that easy to move on. There are a million things during an important match, around you as well as in your mind. Stress, pressure, euphoria, adrenaline, excitation, it’s like hormonal stuff. Your whole being is in the game. You’re playing with your guts.

When the game is over after one or two hours, all of it stops suddenly. The second the ball touches the floor, all the adrenaline, euphoria, concentration falls back. You’re empty. And then you cry.

Everybody’s crying, to be honest, after a match like this one. The winners are just too happy to restrain their smiles, but the losers are collided by deception. It’s not disappointment which made players cry, it’s the feeling of loss. You were beating in chorus with the court and the players, full of that hormonal things, you’re over thinking or maybe not thinking at all. And then you’re back to reality, your mind is blank; you’re feeling as if you were nothing. 

Sometimes, you need a moment to realize what happened. Tears come after.

And with sadness is coming something worse. Regrets.

“I could have done so much better.” It’s what every loser think. It’s exactly what Iwaizumi was thinking. I couldn’t even score off of that ball. If I did score, maybe we could have… Maybe it’s because of me and only me. One ball could have changed everything.

What kind of ace am I? 

The ace has to be strong, one of the team’s pillar. I’m not worthy of being the ace, my teammates had their confidence in me, and I did not succeed, that’s all he could think. Now tears are rolling down his cheeks. Tears of failure of course, and tears of knowing that it was his last chance. He’ll never play here again, never get a new chance of being champion. 

Teammates stay teammates even in the defeat. Oikawa, Hanamaki and Matsukawa slapped him on the back. You can’t stay like this for too long, not when your kouhais needs you. Kindaichi was sobbing in a corner. You have to be brave for them.

 

It’s been an entire year since the defeat, and thinking of it is always bitter. Regrets won’t ever leave you in peace. 

They were so strong, the first days after the defeat. You’re talking about it with the ones who were there. Oikawa is affected just as much. The other third year are already more distant. The second and first year look like they were responsible. Kindaichi seemed ready to say sorry every time Iwaizumi looked at him. 

During the first week, every evening in your bed once the lights are off, the match replays and replays in your head. The ball floating in the air, people shooting your name... Maybe you’re always under the shock.  
Coming back to a normal life is difficult. All around you is dull, all you do is bland, and all you think is grey. You’re searching for something you’ll never find. Little by little, you smile again, you laugh and you can breathe just like before. The weight on your heart becomes lighter as days goes by.

Of course you came back to Seijou with Oikawa. You helped your former kouhais during practices, and when you had to leave, it pinched your heart a bit. But you had to move forward. Your time here is over.

 

It’s been an entire year since the defeat. Iwaizumi had a message.

He did not hear his phone ring. Now he was starring at his phone like he was afraid. The missed call was from Kindaichi.

Today was the day.

Since he had not answered, Kindaichi left him a voice mail. Iwaizumi didn’t know if he wanted to hear it. The hand which holds the phone was shaking.

Finally, he composed the number of his voice mail inbox. The electronic voice announced that he had one new message.

All of a sudden, shouts of joy filled his room. 

“We won! We are the champions!” It was Kindaichi’s voice, quivering with emotion. 

Then it was cries of victory, congratulations between players, “We won”.

“We made it, Iwaizumi-san!”

The voice mail ended and silence replaced the excited voice. There was no expression on Iwaizumi’s face. He was totally immobile, the phone still in his hand. 

He didn’t know if he was happy for them or sad for himself. 

They did was I was unable to do. 

There were tears in his smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everybody !
> 
> It's the first time that I write in English, I hope I didn't made too many mistakes ! In this case I'm really sorry about it.  
> There are many aspects in a team sport. I wanted to show good and bad sides of volleyball through Haikyuu's characters.
> 
> This chapter is a situation which really marked me. I play vb since 13 years now, and I went to Nationals once. Actually all that I described here happened to me.
> 
> If you have questions or reviews then don't hesitate to leave comments or kudos :)  
> Hope you liked it ! I'll try to write more :)


End file.
